


Harsh Words, Consequences

by xdluhman (deirdrepaterson)



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Chanukah, M/M, McSpirk Holiday Fest, Multi, chanukah written about vaguely by a non-jewish person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-12 00:38:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9048361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deirdrepaterson/pseuds/xdluhman
Summary: McSpirk Holiday Fest Round 5Prompt:It's almost Christmas, but things look less than rosy on the USS Enterprise. Some weird mission, a mysterious plague, victims-not many, but still victims-before the CMO can come up with a cure. Jim doesn't take it well and takes it out on Bones, much like with Spock's blindness-hard words are exchanged. Nothing new but this time, something really got under Leonard's skin-some of his Captain and lover's accusations really broke something. On the next mission, down to a snowy, quiet uncharted planet Bones goes with the team but something is amiss. Kirk coughs awkwardly, reaching out. Spock a silently disapproving shadow looming over his shoulder. "Bones, you...I didn't think you would agree to come, after all that mess." Bones smiles a weak smile, a defeated smile. "Of course I agreed, Jim," he says softly, "I will still follow you to the end of the universe and back, ten thousand times. But as your doctor-and your doctor only. I don't think my heart can take being with someone for whom I'll never be enough again." Then he steps in the transporter, beams away, Captain and First Officer losing each a beat at his back. Five hours later, McCoy goes missing on the planet...





	

**Author's Note:**

> Wow. I'm really sorry about this whole thing. I intended to do justice to this prompt, but I lost track of time and suddenly I had finals that didn't end until the 22nd and then I forgot until yesterday (the 24th) and so this mess is the result. I took a lot of liberty in some ways with the prompt...  
> I hope you enjoy reading it anyway...  
> (Let me know if there are any major typos.)

The holiday season of 2269 was unusually stressful for the Enterprise crew. Generally, it wasn't unusual for strange things to happen, it was just somehow things had managed to be fairly peaceful for the past three holiday seasons. Unfortunately, this time around the Enterprise had been called to a Tellarite outpost in the Sirius system to investigate an as-yet-unknown disease plaguing the scientists and miners there.  
Sulu had set the ship into standard orbit late on the evening of December 15, by the Earth calendar, and a landing party composed primarily of medical and science crew in EV suits were sent down. While initial findings were being generated, James T. Kirk had a private meeting with Spock and Doctor Leonard H. McCoy.  
"Okay, Bones," Jim started once the three were settled in the ready room. "I know we don't have verified data, but from the information the Tellarites sent us, what do you think we're looking at?"  
Len sighed and made a face. "It's hard to say. The symptoms are pretty generic. Initially fever and sniffles, then mild hallucinations followed by slow organ failure culminating in death. All those effected have been Tellarites, but that may not be an accurate indicator, since there are only Tellarites there right now. It could be an influenza variant or it could be bacterial or fungal. Honestly I can't say anything right now."  
Jim nodded and patted Bones reassuringly on the arm. "That's okay. I don't expect you to have any certainties yet."  
"I understand that the predominant theory among the Tellarites is that the Kzinti created this disease," Spock added.  
Len scoffed. "The Kzinti? That's ridiculous. Their biological and medical science is notoriously underdeveloped. There's no way they could have done this."  
Jim shrugged. "Who knows, Bones, maybe they had a scientific revolution recently. Just because we're technically at peace doesn't mean they don't have plans." He sighed softly. "I just hope this is solved before too long. I was looking forward to a peaceful Chanukah with you two, and I know a lot of the crew is looking forward to Christmas festivities."  
"Don't worry, Jim. I'm sure we'll have this under control soon," Bones reassured him.  
"Thanks," Jim said before leaning in to give Len a gentle kiss on the lips. Spock reached for Len's hand and stroked his fingers softly.  
\-----  
Unfortunately, the disease was not as quickly solved as it could have been. It took McCoy and Chapel nearly three days to finally devise a cure for what turned out to be a mutated fungus spread by the Kzinti. By that point, just under half of the twenty or so Tellarites on the outpost had perished.  
Jim, perpetually blaming himself and then reflecting some of it onto those near him, confronted McCoy shortly after they departed the system.  
"What in the hell was that, Bones? Think of the people who died just because you didn't think the Kzinti were capable of this! I…" Jim made a strangled sound and turned away from Bones.  
"Dammit Jim, I did the best I could! All prior evidence suggested that the Kzinti couldn't have been involved! All we had to suggest that they were involved were a few paranoid Tellarites!"  
Jim turned back towards McCoy and shook his head. "I know, it's just…" He shook his head again and left.  
Bones returned to his office, where he collapsed onto a chair. This wasn't the first time Jim had gone off at him. There were some…tense words after the incident at Deneva when Spock had been temporarily blinded. Of course afterwards everything was okay and the words were forgotten. But this time was different. People had died and it had been, to a degree, Bones' fault. He would live with the blood on his hands, like he lived with the blood of his father, but Jim didn't know about that. What Jim did know was that half a dozen Tellarites were dead, and McCoy could have stopped it. Bones would forever be tarnished in Jim's eyes.  
Bones pulled out a bottle of bourbon and began to plan…  
\-----  
The next day they were in orbit around an icy planet in the p Eridani system.  
Bones was up on the bridge while the landing party was being assembled.  
Jim, knowing how much Bones disliked cold weather, chuckled and asked, "Why don't you join the landing party with us, Bones?"  
Bones had the sense to look thoughtful for a few moments before responding. "Yeah, I think I'd like that." Then he walked off towards the turbolift, heading down to the transporter room.  
By the time Jim was able to react and get down there, McCoy was already on the pad, waiting for beam down.  
There was something terribly wrong about the situation. Jim stood there frozen for a moment before letting out an awkward cough and reaching out towards Bones, helpless. Spock stood right behind him, apparently trying to convey his disapproval of McCoy's actions with this eyes alone.  
"Bones, you... I didn't think you would agree to come, after all that mess," Jim managed.  
Bones smiled weakly, defeated. "Of course I agreed, Jim," he said softly, "I will still follow you to the end of the universe and back, ten thousand times. But as your doctor - and your doctor only. I don't think my heart can take being with someone for whom I'll never be enough again." He nodded sharply at the transporter operator, and then he was gone, just as Jim finally lurched forward to reach for him.  
He nearly fell to his knees, but Spock caught him and pulled him up. "The captain and I shall beam down now," he said, looking sharply at the operator.  
Jim remained still and limp in Spock's arms as the transporter took hold of them.  
\-----  
As soon as they rematerialized, Spock began to examine their surroundings, looking for signs of Bones. Unfortunately, the man already seemed to have wandered off, and the snow was falling heavily enough that his tracks were already gone.  
His first instinct was to pursue his lost lover, but he had his other lover in his arms, still in a strange sort of shock. Carefully, he lowered Jim to the ground. "Jim, ashalik, it is imperative that you come out of this state. I know that Leonard's words have hurt you, but he is now missing. I will attempt to contact him with my communicator, but after that you need to be ready to search for him."  
Jim gave a weak nod. Spock pulled out his communicator and flipped it open. "Spock to Dr. McCoy."  
He waited.  
No response came.  
Spock wrapped his hand around Jim's bicep. "It's time to get up, Jim. If you prefer, you can return to the ship."  
Jim shook his head and made to stand up. Spock helped him up.  
"I can't abandon him now, Spock. He thinks I'm seriously upset with him, which isn't true, not at all. It really wasn't his fault. No one could have predicted that the Tellarites were right, that the Kzinti had advanced capabilities. I love him so much, I-I can't lose him, not now, and especially not today, not when Chanukah starts tonight…"  
"I feel the same, ashalik, now we must find him."  
For the first few minutes of their search, Jim still needed Spock to steady him, but he quickly recovered enough to walk and search on his own.  
They looked for nearly five hours before the cold and lack of a trail got to them.  
They returned to the ship, where they began a detailed analysis of the surface.  
\-----  
Three hours later, there was a breakthrough.  
The surface weather patterns had intensified shortly after Jim and Spock returned to the ship, so scanners had some difficulty picking up McCoy's biosign. They were able to approximate his location within a ten kilometer radius, but that was still too large an area.  
Finally the storms broke and Uhura had news. "Captain, I'm receiving a transmission from the surface. It's faint, but it seems to be from a Starfleet communicator."  
Spock beat Jim to the punch. "Try modulating the receiver."  
Uhura rolled her eyes. "Already on it, Mr. Spock."  
The next minute was tense as Nyota made sure the signal was strong and holding. It seemed McCoy was transmitting continuously.  
"I've got it sir. Putting it on speakers now."  
The bridge was flooded with Leonard McCoy's voice. "…sorry, Jim, I'm so damn sorry. I didn't mean to wander off like this and get lost. I just thought I'd do some exploring of my own, show you how much I meant what I'd said. But the snow was so thick I couldn't see anything. I got lost and I was too goddamn proud to respond to comms and ask for help. I heard Spock comm me, but at that point I didn't think I was lost. I just love you two so much, and sometimes the words you say hurt me more than you can rightly imagine. So if you can hear this, and God I hope you can because I've been repeating it for over an hour now, please just get me out of this damn frozen wasteland! I'm sorry--"  
"Can we beam him up?" Jim asked.  
"Aye, sir," Scotty said. "I'm on it."  
"Send him straight to sick bay--Chapel will need to check him for hypothermia. Spock and I will meet him there."  
Jim stood up and, with Spock following, headed for the turbolift and down to sick bay.  
\-----  
Luckily Leonard was completely undamaged. After a half hour's discussion with Jim and Spock about words exchanged in anger and how much they all loved each other regardless, their relationship had been (mostly) patched up.  
After receiving an official clean bill of health from Chapel, Len followed Jim and Spock to the captain's quarters.  
The menorah had already been set out on Jim's desk, with the first candle already in place and the shammus lying on the desk next to a card with the traditional blessings on it.  
"I know you're not Jewish, Bones, but I was hoping you would light the candle tonight. Spock, of course, will recite the blessings."  
Leonard smiled. "Just show me what to do, Jim."


End file.
